So you think you can teach middle school?
Do you want to become a public middle school teacher? Do you think you have what it takes to educate the future minds of America? Do you think you can handle thirty rambunctious teenagers in a classroom? Before you sign up for this assignment, let me explain why each grade is very, very different.
Let’s start by examining the sixth grade level. In many ways, the sixth grade is “elementary school plus.” Although sixth-graders are adorably small, they’re also innocently nervous. In fact, sixth-graders enter the school year needing a substantial amount of “hand-holding.” From the onset, they’re faced with a bit of “transitional” challenges. For example, navigating through the school building, based on their particular class schedule, is a daunting task. At first, they’ll walk around aimlessly throughout the building, desperately searching for the “right” classroom.
After this practice becomes routine, the next hurdle, without question, is the infamous “locker combination.” Switching from “cubby holes” to lockers is a monumental shift for sixth-graders. The first time they try to open their assigned lockers, they become easily rattled. Some master this skill in a few attempts; others will need multiple attempts, if not multiple days, to open their locker. During this time, be ready to encourage students through their frustrations, and do not let them quit. The most important advice: do not open the locker for them! If you open their locker, they’ll depend on you on to do so daily. Don’t fall for this trap! Always remember, it’s better to teach a person to fish, then to give them a fish.
Aside from the logistical obstacles, the most important aspect of sixth-graders is their